PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Rutgers’ Darnell Davis came off the edge untouched, unblocked. The hit he leveled on Jake Browning was the most vicious the Washington quarterback has absorbed in his career, and served as a rather loud symbol of a rotten first half for the No. 8 Huskies on Friday night.

Browning fumbled on the play, his helmet pushed halfway off his head. He lay flat on his back for several beats.

But he was soon back on his feet, and eventually the Huskies were too. Their 30-14 season-opening victory over Rutgers was, in truth, not all that impressive. If the Huskies truly are a national-championship contender this season, one had to strain to see it.

Dante Pettis, despite bobbling the catch, returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown to wake the Huskies from their sleepy start, and redshirt freshman cornerback Byron Murphy had two interceptions in his UW debut.

Browning, after that early sack, wasn’t as sharp as he was in the Huskies’ thumping of Rutgers at Husky Stadium last year. He was good enough, though, completing 17 of 30 passes 284 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers.

Both his touchdown passes were to UW running backs. Lavon Coleman sneaked out of the backfield, wide open, for a 7-yard score early in the third quarter, giving UW a 17-7 lead.

Early in the fourth, Browning hung in the pocket, took a hit, and delivered a beautiful throw to Myles Gaskin for an 18-yard score, pushing the lead to 27-7.

UW’s defense was strong after Rutgers scored a surprisingly easy touchdown on its opening drive.

After that, the only points UW gave up were in the fourth quarter, when UW had turned to true freshman cornerback Keith Taylor, who was knocked down near the UW goal line trying to make an interception. Instead, Rutgers receiver Dacoven Bailey hauled in a 34-yard TD over Taylor.

Later, UW linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven and defensive end Jaylen Johnson combined to stuff Rutgers on fourth down, effectively ending Rutgers’ comeback attempt.

Late in the first quarter, senior kicker Tristan Vizcaino converted the first field-goal attempt of his career, from 24 yards, for UW’s first points of the game. He converted his two other attempts — from 23 yards in the third quarter and from 41 yards in the fourth.